Door hinge operated switch



Dec. 2, 1952 J. w. LILEY 2,620,411

DOOR HINGE OPERATED SWITCH Filed Oct. 15, 1949 k g l I ii INVENTOR. JOAW m L/LEY ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 2, 1952 DOOR HINGE OPERATED SWITCH John W. Liley, Ferndale, Mich., assignor of fiftyfive per cent to Michael J. Basso, Detroit, Mich.

Application October 15, 1949, Serial No. 121,625 2 Claims. (01. 200-54) This invention relates to electric house lighting devices and has particular reference to a utility light and electric circuits for the same.

An object of the invention is to provide a utility light and circuits which are constructed and arranged so that the light may be automatically turned on and off by the opening and closing of a door, yet may be manually turned on and off at the light when the door is either open or closed.

Another object of the invention is to generally improve devices of the character indicated and to provide a device of such character which is economical to manufacture, simple in construction, and efficient in operation.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent as the description proceeds, reference being made from time to time to the accompanying drawing forming part of the within disclosure, in which drawing:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of the inside of a room showing a wall and a door on which are mounted the device embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the device embodying the invention with parts broken away and parts in section to illustrate the construction and arrangement of other parts.

Fig. 3 is a view taken substantially on the line 3-4 of Fig.2.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, it will be understood that in the embodiment herein disclosed, the reference character I indicates a wall, the reference character 8 indicates the frame of a door, and the reference character 9 indicates the door on which are mounted the device embodying the invention. The invention resides in the construction, combination, and arrangement of elements. To carry out the invention, I provide a lamp base l9 which may be mounted in any position on the wall I by means of the perforated flange IDA. The base l supports a light socket II, in which is a conventional light bulb I2, and which is electrically connected to the other elements of the device as hereinafter described. The base I9 also supports a two-way switch I3, which is manually controlled by means of a switch lever I4.

An automatic switch housing I is secured to the hinge of the door by means of a bracket [6, which has an outwardly directed ear H, which is perforated to engage the pintle I8 of the hinge [8A. Mounted within the housing I5 is an automatic plunger type switch 19 having a plunger 20, which is adapted to be contacted by the door frame 8 when the door 9 is in closed position. When the door 9 is closed, the plunger 29 is moved inwardly and opens the circuit through the automatic switch I9. The automatic switch I9, the housing I5, and its supporting elements are more particularly described and claimed in my co-pending application Serial No. 101,712, filed June 28, 1949, to which reference is made for greater certainty.

The light socket II, the two-way switch I3, and the automatic switch I9 are electrically connected as hereinafter described. Electrical energy is provided for the device through a plug 2|, which is arranged to engage the socket of a conventional outlet 22. Connected to the plug 2| are the wires 23 and 24, the wire 23 being connected to the terminal 39 of the automatic switch I9, and the wire 24 being connected to a wire 25, which in turn is connected, as at 26, to one of the wires 21 directly connected to the light socket II. The other side of the light socket II is connected by means of a wire 28 to the terminal 29 of the two-way switch I3. Also connected to the automatic switch terminal 38 is a wire 3|, which also connects directly to the terminal 32 of the two-way switch I3. The wire 33 connects at one end to the terminal 34 of the automatic switch I9 and connects at the other end to the terminal 35 of the two-way switch I3.

In operation when the door 9 is closed, the plunger 20 of the automatic switch l9 bears against the door frame holding the plunger 29 inwardly and holding the automatic switch open. In such position the light 12 would not burn. Inasmuch, however, as the plug 2| and the light socket II are also connected to the terminals 32 and 29 of the two-way switch I3 by means of the wires 25, 21, 28, and 3I, the light I2 may be turned on and off manually when the door 9 is closed. It is also possible to manually control the light I2 when the automatic switch I9 is closed and the door 9 is open. This is possible because the terminal 34 of the automatic switch I9 is connected by the wire 33 to another terminal 35 of the two-way switch I3.

Having described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An article of manufacture comprising a cylindrical non-conductive housing, said housing having a flat side arranged to accommodate a mounting bracket, a mounting bracket secured to the flat side of said housing and having an outwardly directed perforated ear arranged to engage the pint le of a hinge, an aperture in the fiat side of said housing and a plunger-type switch secured to the fiat side of said housing and having its plunger extending through the aperture in said flat side.

2. A switch assembly for mounting on a door hinge, comprising a hollow housing of electrically non-conductive material, said housing having a flat area arranged to engage a mounting bracket, a mounting bracket having a flat area overlying a portion of the flat area of said housing and having parallel sides arranged to engage opposite sides of said housing, an outwardly directed ear on said bracket having an opening therein arranged to accommodate thepintle ofia'door hinge L whereby said bracket is secured tothe hinge, an opening in the flat area of .saidrhousing and .a

bracket.

JOHN W. LILEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 393,657 vPacker Nov. 27, 1888 1,'640;00l Kolbe Aug. 23, 1927 1,705;125 lKraemer Mar. 12, 1929 72,181,293 Biggs Nov. 28, 1938 2,271,910 Bluemle Feb. 3, 1942 

